Date:	Tuesday 16 March 2004
Time:	04:01
Type:	Beechcraft 1900C
Owner/operator:	United States Air Force - USAF
Registration:	N27RA
MSN:	UB-37
Year of manufacture:	1985
Engine model:	P&W Canada PT6A-65B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	11 km SE of Tonopah-Test Range Airport, NV (XSD) -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Tonopah-Test Range Airport, NV (XSD/KTNX)
Investigating agency:	USAF AIB

Narrative:
The Air Force Materiel Command Beech 1900 crashed while on a routine support mission from a remote classified airstrip on the Nellis range to the Tonopah Test Range. It departed at 03:43 for Tonopah. After reporting the runway lights in sight, the pilot configured the airplane for the approach and initiated a circling maneuver to the right for a visual straight-in approach to runway 32. During the turn the pilot suffered a sudden cardiac death. Half way through the turn the airplane began a gradual descent until it impacted the ground. The airplane broke up and burst into flames. Investigation revealed that the pilot had violated federal policy and directives, wilfully deceived flight medical examiners, suppressed significant medical information and ingested inappropriate medications for a deteriorating and dangerous health condition. The pilot had high blood pressure and failed to report it, and denied taking medications to his Federal Aviation Administration flight physical examiners.

Board Opinion:
"There was clear and convincing evidence that the mishap pilot suffered incapacitation due to sudden cardiac death during the approach to land that resulted in the mishap aircraft impacting the ground. A substantially contributing factor was that the mishap pilot, in violation of federal policy and directives, willfully ingested inappropriate medications, suppressed significant medical information and deceived flight medical examiners in the presence of a deteriorating and
dangerous health condition."

AFMC News Service Release 0743
Executive Summary Beechcraft 1900C, UB37, N27RA accident (USAF)
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Sep-2025 11:17	ASN	Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ]